


Fools Who Dream

by superallens



Series: Allenbert One Shots [7]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, La La Land AU, M/M, blink and you'll miss Eddie Thawne, but then again when aren't my fics a little sad, its a little sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 21:31:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9626147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superallens/pseuds/superallens
Summary: Julian is a pianist and Barry is an actor. They find each other when they need it the most.(aka The La La Land AU)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends!!  
> So I've had the world's worst writers block and La La Land just hasn't left my head ever since I saw it so... this happened...  
> I haven't proof read it or anything so if there's any mistakes then oh well

It all starts with a melody. One of those melodies that makes your head spin and heart ache with a sense of nostalgia that you never even knew was there. One of those melodies that you can think about, day in and day out, without if ever getting old. One of those melodies that changes your life forever.

The second Barry Allen walked through the doors of that random Central City bar that one, winter’s night, the course of his life changed forever. 

The bell above the door jingled as he walked into the establishment. His footsteps were light as he slipped in without a sound. Besides the bell, of course. 

That’s when he saw him. The blonde man with the gray eyes. The man with the melody. 

Barry was in a trance. He was hypnotized by the fingers that were dancing across the ivory keys with practiced ease. Barry leaned against the wall next to the wooden door and sighed happily. He had only heard something remotely like this on one of Joe’s old vinyls he’d play for him and Iris during dinner when they were kids. He always loved those vinyls, for they reminded him of his dad. 

Barry was snapped out of his trance was fading out. He felt like his heart dropped in the pit of his stomach since he wanted this song to play on infinitely. 

He looked back up to the man with the gray eyes, only to see him quickly gathering up his things. He looked to be frustrated and in a rush, desperate to get out of the room. Before Barry himself could even realize it, he was bounding up to the man with eyes filled with hope and a peaceful smile on his face. 

“Hi, I just wanted to say,” Barry started saying as the man gathered his papers into the crook of his arm. “I saw your playing and I-”

“You hated it as well, shocker,” the man said as he shot Barry a quick glare. When Barry didn’t respond immediately, the man shoved passed him, hitting his shoulder with his own for dramatic effect. Well then.

***

The melody the pianist played that night replayed in Barry’s head day in and day out. It was a never ending loop of the prettiest song Barry had ever heard in his lifetime, and Barry certainly wasn’t complaining. Sure, the man behind the piano was sort of a jerk, but the song made that detail slip out of his mind.

Barry didn’t think he’d ever see the man with the pretty gray eyes ever again. But as he and Iris made his way into one of Iris’ friend’s house parties, there standing at piano with the band was none other than the pianist himself. Barry fiddled with the collar of his yellow button up as he made his way over to the stage. 

Gray eyes looked like he wanted nothing more than to jump off the stage and run away like there was no tomorrow. His outfit was absolutely ridiculous, adding onto Barry’s amusement from the entirety of the situation. 

When the band was taking requests, Barry let a little smirk play on his face as he declared his song of choice.

“ _ I Ran _ ,” Barry said, looking straight at the pianist. The man’s face dropped as he gave Barry the look of death. The lead singer had laughed and nudged the pianist, making the man scowl. Throughout the whole song, the man glared at Barry as he happily sang along to the song.

Right after the set ended, the pianist stormed off to find Barry.

“I remember you,” the pianist said as he walked towards Barry. Barry looked up from his small cup of water to look at the other man. “Sorry if I was curt with you that night.”

“Curt?”

“I guess another word I could use is asshole. I can admit that,” the man sighed. “I’ve been told my interpersonal skills aren’t up to par.”

“Alright,” Barry replied, taking a sip from his water.

“But, requesting  _ I Ran _ from a serious musician,” the man said, appalled. “That’s just  _ too _ far.”  

Barry tried to hide his chuckle threatening to spill from his lips. “Serious musician?”

“That’s what I am.”

“Yet you’re playing in a faux 80s revival band,” Barry said, not even bothering to hide his amusement anymore.

“You’ve got to pay the bills somehow,” the pianist said with a roll of his eyes. “I don’t suppose what you do is any better.”

“I’m an actor.”

“Figures,” the pianist said, giving Barry a once over. “Anything I might’ve seen?”

“ _ Aspiring  _ actor,” Barry said with the slightest of frowns. “I work at Jitters currently. A job is a job. Great coffee, though.”

“Yet you make fun of me for my gig.”

“You did see yourself in the mirror when you put that on earlier?” The pianist was wearing a plain, white vest with baggy cargo pants that were held up by thick, red suspenders. Not the best looks for the man.

“Shut up,” the man said, leaning against the wall. “What's your name anyways, sunshine and rainbows?”

“Sunshine and rainbows?”

“You're wearing yellow and to be quite frank I've never met a personality much like yours. Rare as a rainbow.”

“Barry.”

“Very?”

“No, my name’s Barry. Allen. Well, it's Bartholomew but everybody calls me Barry.”

“Nice to meet you formally, Allen,” the pianist said, holding out his hand. “Julian Albert.”

Barry accepted Julian’s gesture and shook the man’s hand.

“I'm glad to finally have a name to a face. I've been calling you ‘piano dude’ in my head ever since that night.”

“Piano dude?”

“You play piano and you're a guy. It's fitting,” Barry said. “Anyways, as I tried to tell you that night, I really liked your song. It's been stuck in my head ever since.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It's catchy,” Barry smiled. “Did you compose it yourself?”

“Julian!” a man from the distance yelled. “Time's up, get back up here!”

“That my cue,” Julian said, pointing his thumb towards the stage. “The answer to your inquiry, however, is yes.”

“Wow, it… it was incredible,” Barry said softly. “I've never heard anything like it.”

“I appreciate your kindness,” Julian replied with a smile. “I'll see you around, Allen.”

***

Barry thought that Julian’s words were just a blanket statement, something to make Barry feel good about himself for a split second before the man with the pretty gray eyes went off forever. Barry didn't actually think that Julian would show up at his work later that week. 

“Hi, welcome to Jitters,” Barry mumbled as he tapped a few more buttons on the register screen. He was glad that Jitters finally upgraded to digital, but  _ man _ was the system a pain in the ass. “What can I get… Hi.”

“Hello.”

“What are you doing here?”

“This is a coffee place, correct?”

“Yeah, yeah of course-”

“I've heard Jitters has a great coffee, I was in the area, figured why not,” Julian said as a little smile made its way onto his face. Barry laughed. 

“In the area, huh?” Barry teased. “So, what can I get for you?”

“Coffee, black,” Julian said after pretending to look at the menu for a beat. 

“I'm not surprised.”

“Excuse me?”

“A serious musician such as yourself must  _ only _ have the most serious coffee.”

“I never said that.”

“Oh, but you did!” Barry said, a laugh escaping from his faux-serious façade. Julian rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of fondness behind it. 

“Do you have a break coming up?”

“Why?”

“I have some ‘serious musician’ stuff I want to show you. If  _ I Ran _ was your song of choice, I can't even imagine what the rest of your music repertoire is like.”

“Wow, I'm so lucky to have met-”

“Barry! Stop flirting and get back to work, there's a line!” Iris yelled from the back room. 

“Iris!” Barry yelled back, his cheeks flaming so much that it matched the color of his dark red tshirt. Barry heavily sighed before turning back to Julian. “Sorry ‘bout that. Um, that’ll be two dollars.”

Julian fished into his pocket and retrieved his sleek, black leather wallet. He handed the retrieved bills over to Barry. As Barry was putting them into the register, Julian cleared his throat. “You never answered my question.”

“Your question?” Barry asked as he tapped at the monitor. 

“Regarding whether or not you're off anytime soon.”

“I'm off in,” Barry paused, looking at his battered watch. It was his dad’s. “Ten minutes.”

“Great,” Julian smiled. “I'll be over there. Somewhere.”

Julian gesticulated over to the seating area behind him. 

“Cool.” Barry watched as Julian walked out of his eye sight. He told himself that he wasn't gonna go falling for the next pretty blonde with light eyes he saw after Patty broke up with him a few months prior, but then Julian had to go show up. 

Barry sighed and shook his head. He forced a peppy smile back on his face as the next customer walked up to the counter. “Hi, welcome to Jitters!”

***

Later that day, the duo sat across from each other at some old school Jazz club that Barry never even knew existed. Julian was clearly at home in the atmosphere, for he had smiled at the host and the host had beamed and pat his back.

Barry was nursing a beer in his hands and Julian had a half gone gin and tonic sitting next to his hand on the table. 

“I really haven't listened to jazz in a while, not since I was a kid,” Barry said as he leaned across the table to Julian could hear him. Julian raised an eyebrow and he leaned forward as well. 

“Since you were a kid? So three years ago?”

“I'm twenty-seven.”

“Thirty-two. At this point in our lives, age seems to just be a construct,” Julian said, gingerly picking up his glass and taking a sip from it. “Why don’t you listen to jazz anymore, Allen?”

“It was my dad’s favorite.”

“And?”

“He died a few months ago. Before that he was in prison, but he had just gotten out, only to be taken away from me once more.” Barry’s voice trailed out towards the end as his eyes were directed more towards the sweating bottle rather than Julian. Julian squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before looking back up at Barry.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

“He’d want you to listen to jazz though.”

“Why are you so adamant about this? Jazz isn’t even that great,” Barry said. Julian’s jaw dropped.

“Jazz  _ isn’t  _ that great?”

“Jazz isn’t that great.”

“Let me guess, you’re a ‘Top 40s’ type of guy, aren’t you?”

“I guess you could say that.” Julian audibly groaned. 

“You are so lucky that I came into your life,” Julian whispered under his breath. “Jazz is  _ more _ than just music… it’s an art. It’s one beautiful, intense show. But, not enough people appreciate it for what it is, so it’s dying.”

Barry nodded as he looked at the live band and back at Julian. 

“Most of these men are going to have to go off and do commercial sessions, but once I open my club, they’ll be able to play whatever they want.”

“Your club?”

“My club. I’m working on getting a lease, but it’s been a process to say the least,” Julian sighed, finishing off his drink. “It’s going to happen one day, though. The world tells everyone to move on, says jazz has already had it’s moment… but I refuse to move on. I love the art too much.”

Barry stared at Julian in amazement as the man continued to talk about the different types of jazz, and how his club was going to change the music scene in Central. Julian was just so straightforward, blunt, and passionate about this community that Barry couldn’t help but feel enthralled in it as well. It was hard to not get captured in something when someone was so amazed by it. 

The two sat and talked for who knows how long. The conversation flowed so smoothly; it was effortless.

By the end of the night, the two had plans to go to the movies. 

***

Julian felt hyper aware of how close Barry was to him.

He felt like if he even so much as had a shuddered breath, Barry would feel it. Julian was just being dramatic, only their shoulders were grazing each other, but just the small touch itself made Julian’s heart race in anticipation.

Julian hadn’t met anyone like Barry in a long time, maybe even ever. The other man was so eager to challenge Julian and find ways to make him laugh. Barry was willing to listen to him ramble on about his dreams and made him feel like they were tangible. Everyone else in his life thought him pursuing jazz was a joke, and Julian was just starting to think that maybe they were right. But then he met Barry. 

Julian felt a pinkie graze his own. His hands were rested flat on his knees, and Barry had taken the liberty to stretch his arm out just enough so that he could make a subtle move. Julian averted his eyes from the screen momentarily and glanced down at their hands. He inched his closer to Barry’s before Barry intertwined them. 

Julian smiled. 

Julian didn’t even realize that the two were still holding hands as they walked down the street together after the movie. He only ever let go in favor of cradling Barry’s jaw as he kissed him goodnight.

***

After that night at the movies, the two were practically inseparable. They were no longer just Julian and just Barry, but they were Julian and Barry. You rarely had one without the other.

It only took six months of being together and half of Barry’s things at his place for Julian to ask Barry to move in with him.

Julian’s apartment was small, with it only being one bedroom and one bathroom, but it was the perfect size for the two of them.

Iris had helped Barry bring over the last remaining boxes from his old place. Iris and Julian got along incredibly well. That still didn’t stop her from whispering a ‘you hurt my brother and I hurt you’ comment as she hugged him goodbye. 

***

Eight more months passed. It felt like nothing and a lifetime all in one. Julian could hardly remember a life where he didn’t wake up with a fluff of brown hair under his nose or silly pop tunes playing when Barry thought Julian was asleep. He could hardly remember what it was like to be alone. 

Yet, that was all starting to change when stacks of scripts started piling up next to Julian’s grand piano. Barry would flip through them and shut his eyes tight. Julian left it alone. He knew the creative process was rigorous and could truly be a pain in the ass sometimes. So he let it be.

In retrospect, that probably wasn’t the best idea. Barry was the type who thrived under attention, and touch, and love. Barry wasn’t like Julian. Julian was best when he was alone with his work, but Barry was his best when he had someone by his side. 

One night, Julian found Barry lying in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His eyebrows were scrunched together as little tears rushed down the side of his face. Barry’s face was always very easy to read, even for someone like Julian who was awful at taking hints.

Julian carefully made his way into the bed, lying on his side so he could look at Barry.

“Barry?” Julian whispered. Barry rarely got like this. The younger man would just beat himself up so much over his work that he would just lay there in silence.

Julian pulled Barry closer to him, making it so Barry was looking him in the eyes. He wiped the tears off of Barry’s face and kissed his forehead softly.

“What happened?”

“The audition didn’t go well.”

“I bet it was fantastic. You’re a brilliant actor, Barry.”

“The producers ordered pizza while I was crying.” Julian’s heart dropped. Barry had finally landed a decent audition, on he was actually stoked about. He made Julian practice lines with him for almost two weeks. At the end of the scene that Barry prepared for the judges, he had to cry. Every time Barry did the scene for Julian, Julian’s heart broke just a bit. It almost fully broke when he heard about what the producers did. 

“Screw them, you’re incredible and they don’t deserve you.”

“If I was really incredible then maybe they would’ve actually watched me instead of their phones.”

Julian stared into Barry’s clear, hazel eyes as he brushed the fallen strand of hair out of Barry’s eyes. 

“You’re gonna make it far one day, Barry Allen,” Julian whispered, shifting on the bed so he was now propped up on the bed by his elbow. Barry averted his eyes from Julian’s watching gaze in favor of looking down at the light gray bed sheet.

“You really think so?”

“I know so.”

“Thank you,” Barry said softly, reaching for Julian’s hand. Julian intertwined their fingers with ease. “Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.”

“Always,” Julian said. The blonde leaned forward and planted a kiss on Barry’s temple. Once he pulled away, he rested his forehead against Barry’s. “One day you’re gonna be so big, you won’t even remember that pianist you met at that one bar in Central.”

Julian could feel Barry frown and shake his head slightly.

“That’s not true,” Barry murmured. “I could never forget you, even if I wanted to.”

“It’d be okay if you did,” Julian replied, ignoring Barry’s remark. Barry stayed silent, not knowing how to reply.

“And then one day, when we meet again, since fate has that weird way of making things happen,” Julian started. “I’ll look across the room and I’d see you there, with a husband or a wife, maybe a few kids. You wouldn’t say anything to me, nor I you. But we’d both know you’d made it, that you were happy. And that’s all that really matters to me.”

“Jules…”

“I just want you to be happy, Allen.”

“You make me happy.”

“You’re gonna be traveling the world, making movies, being the most amazing actor,” Julian said, lifted his hand up to hold Barry’s face. “I can’t wait for that for you.”

“It sounds like you’re breaking up with me, Jules.”

“I’m not.”

“It sounds like it, though.”

“I can’t promise you forever, but I’m here for as long as you’ll have me.”

***

Julian was right.

Julian knew he was right when he saw the familiar hazel eyes walk into the bar six years later. 

Hazel eyes aged with laugh lines and ghosts of old memories, both good and bad. The hazel eyes Julian once knew looked fondly at a new set of blue. 

Julian saw Barry everywhere. He was right. He knew his boy would make it big one day, and that day came. His boy made it to the silver screen and took the world by storm.             

Barry had finally landed his first big audition, like Julian always knew he would. Barry had gripped Julian’s hand so tight in the waiting room that the blood circulation in his hand was nearly gone. But Julian didn't care. The little twinkle of hope in Barry’s eyes made the pain worth it. 

Julian remembered the little smile on Barry’s face when he turned to Julian after hearing his name get called in. Barry had taken a deep, shuddering breath and shook the nerves out of him by wiggling his fingers, which was an old, familiar habit of Barry’s. 

Julian remembered Barry’s tear stained cheeks as he walked out of the audition room. Julian still doesn't know what happened in that room to this day, for he had never bothered to ask. Julian had stood up from his seat the moment Barry exited the room, and Barry slumped into Julian’s arms without saying a word. Julian held him in that bland, white hallway with the stained emerald seats for who knows how long. It didn't matter though, for it was Barry. 

“They're calling me back,” Barry whispered, his voice breaking. “They said I have a really good chance, Jules. Top of the list good.”

Two days later, the call came. Barry had been sitting on the kitchen counter as Julian cooked the two dinner. Barry had furrowed his eyebrows at the odd number on his phone, but picked it up regardless. Julian could practically hear Barry’s heart pounding out of his chest. 

“Hello? Yeah, this is him,” Barry had said into the phone as he hopped off of the counter. The lanky man had proceeded to pace around the kitchen, expertly avoiding Julian’s cooking motions. “Yes. Really? Okay, okay, I'll uh, I'll have to talk to my manager. Yeah. Thank you, thank you so much, you won't regret it!”

Barry had stared at his phone screen until it turned black. His head had slowly turned up towards Julian, his eyes watering. 

“Yeah?” Julian asked. Barry nodded as he bit his lip. Julian beamed as he set his wooden spoon down on the counter. He quickly made his way over to Barry and kissed him softly. 

“I knew you'd get it, I knew it,” Julian muttered. “I'm so proud of you.”

“It's in Paris,” Barry whispered.

“France?” Barry nodded. 

He had told Barry to go and to never look back, and that’s exactly what the man with hazel eyes did. There were days when Julian would look at the empty space next to him as he laid on his light gray sheets and have a tinge of regret weasel its way into his heart. But he remembers in those times that it was for the best. He knew it was not meant to last. Nobody could love Julian forever, and that was okay.

Julian peeled his eyes away from the man with the hazel eyes and cracked his knuckles. He cleared his throat and tapped the microphone above the piano to test it.

“This next one is for an old friend of mine. You know who you are.” And Julian played. He hadn’t played the song in ages, for it had just hurt too much. But, now felt like the right time. 

He poured his pent up emotions from the past six years and let it erupt through his fingers as he delicately hit each piano key with practiced precision. 

Barry’s heart stopped as he stared blankly at Julian, watching the once familiar man harshly play the piano. Barry knew this one was for him. This was their song.

Julian was slightly hunched over the piano, rather than his usual pin straight, poised posture. His dark blonde hair fell in his face as his fingers made their way up and down the keys. The audience stayed quiet and listened, although they were all in a trance. 

Barry felt his husband squeeze his hand as he leant in and whispered, “This guy is amazing.”

Barry turned to him with watery eyes and nodded weakly. “Yeah, he is. He really is, Eddie...”

He never thought Julian could ever get any better than he already was. But, his talent proved to age like fine wine. Julian Albert never ceased to amaze him with each and every song. 

When the song concluded, Barry finally realized his cheeks were damp with tears. He quickly wiped them away before he clapped with the rest of the audience.

It was in that moment that Barry realized Julian was right.

Julian looked up from the familiar keys of the piano and into the sea of strangers, he locked eyes with Barry. Barry and his warm, hazel eyes. Julian thought that he would feel nothing as he looked into them, but even six years later, Julian’s heart skipped a beat. 

Julian looked across the room and saw Barry. With his husband. Maybe with a few kids at home. Barry didn’t say anything to Julian, nor Julian to Barry. But Barry had made it and he looked happy. And that’s all that really mattered to Julian.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment below and let me know what you think! I love reading your responses :)


End file.
